Stencil-writing attachment for type-writing machines.



F. W. BUFFUM.

STENCIL WRITING ATTACHMENT FOR TYPE WRITING MACHINES.

APPLICATION HLED AUG. I7 1914.

Patented June 1, 1915.

2 SHEETS SHEEY 1- #lllilllillllli Hlllllllllll F. W. SUFFUM. STENCJLwnmm: ATTACHMENT FUR TYPE wmrms MACHENES. APPLICATION FiLED AUG. If IQM.

1,141,525, Patented hum 1, 1915.

FRANK W. BUFFU'EZ, OF LOUISIANA, MISSOURI.

SmCIL-WRFDING ATTACHMENT FOB TYPE-WRITING MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 1, 1915.

Application field August 17, 1914. Serial No. 857,233.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FRANK W. Barron, acitizen of the United States, residing at Louisiana, Missouri, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Stencil- WritingAttachments for Type-Writing Machines, of which the following is a full,clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to stencil-writing attachments for typewritingmachines.

The blanks that are to be made into stencils with my improved attachmentare the well-known type of paper stencil blanks, such as are widely usedin automatic stencil machines, and which have a thin paper sight, uponwhich the stencil is written, that is surrounded by a comparativelythick, stiff cardboard margin or frame. This blank must be placed in themachine in such a manner that it can be fed or line-spaced in a straightline, as the stilf cardboard frame thereof will not permit of its beingbent or curved transversely around the usual round platen of atypewriting machine. In all typewriting machines that have two or morerinting characters arranged on each type r it is neces ary to employshift keys to shift the platen with relation to the type bars, or toshift the type bars with relation to the platen, in order that thedesired printing character will engage the laten at the proper printingposition. ertical feed slnncil attachments have heretofore been used,but it has been found in practice that when used on a. shift key machinethe character or characters on the type'bars that are shifted out ofoperative position b means of the shift key will engage the thiccardboard frame of the stencil when printing the bottom and top lines ofsaid stencil, and thus prevent the desired character from making aperfect impression on the sight of the stencil.

One object of my present invention is to overcome this objection, and tothis end I have devised a simple and reliable means, whereby thestencil-supporting or carrying frame is automatically rocked wheneverthe shift key of the machine is depressed, so that the thick margin orcardboard frame of the stencil blank is moved to such a positlon thatthe ino erative type on the type bars will not toucli the same duringthe operation of printing on the stencil.

Another object is to provide a device of the character described thatcan be readily attached to or detached from the typewritmg machine withwhich the same is used. Other ob ects and desirable features of myinvention will be hereinafter pointed out.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a front elevational view of a typewritingmachine equipped with a stencil-writin constructed in accordance wit myinvention. Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of said machine. Fig. 3 isa fragmentary plan view thereof. Fig. 4 is an enlarged transversesectional view taken on the line 44 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is an enlargeddetail sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3, showing thestencil in operative position. Figs. 6 and 7 are detail views,illustrating the position assumed by the stencil and its carrier whenthe shift keys of the machine are actuated. Figs. 8, 9 and 10 are detailsectional views taken on the lines 8-8, 99, and 1010, respectively, ofFig. 5; and Fig. 11 is a vertical sectional view taken approximately onthe line 11-11 of Fig. 3.

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, my improved stencil attachment is shown as applied to thewell-known Remington Junior typewriting machine, but I wish it to beunderstood that my broad idea is not limited to use with such machine,for my invention is capable of being applied to various other types oftypewriting machines without departing from the spirit thereof.

Referring now to the drawings, A designates the main frame of thetypewriting machine, B the pinion, C the type bar-carrying frame orsupport. D the type bars and E the character-printing keys. In themachine herein shown each of the type bars D is provided with threeprinting characters (I, d and d. When the parts of the machine are inthe position shown in Fig. 2 depression of the keys E, which arepivotally mounted on a stationary shaft '20, through the medium of thelink e, lever c and link e", will cause the center printing attachmentcharacter :1 to engage the platen B opposite the center thereof and makean imprwion on a paper or card that is interposed between said platenand said printing character.

When it is desired to print the uppermost character d on the type bar Da shift key F. which is mounted on a stationary pivot 21, is depressed,and, through the medium of the bell crank lever f, the F and lever fthat is pivotally"connected at 24 to the type bar support C, saidsupport kill be rocked downwardly on its pivot 0 so as to lower thepivot point 22 of the type bar D to such a, position with respect to theplaten B that the character d will lie opposite the center of saidplaten whenever the key E is depressed. If it is desired to print thelowermost character d a shift key G, that is mounted on a stationarypivot 23, is depremed, and, throughthe medium of the link 9', bell cranklever g and link 9 that is connected to the lever f on the support C,said support will be rocked upwardly on its pivot point c'so as to raisethe pivot point 22 of the type bar D to such a position with respect tothe platen B' that the printing character d will lie opposite the centerof said platen whenever the key E is depressed.

The mechanism just described all forms part of the standard RemingtonJunior typewriting machine, and is only herein referred to in so far asthe shifting mechanism has any bearing on the stencil attachment to behereinafter described, and it is to be here understood that my improvedattachment is not limited to use with a machine having this exactshifting means, as various other means could be employed for changingthe relative position of the type bars and platenin a shift key machine,without departing from the spirit of my invention. A

The stencil carrier consists of a frame H that lies across the front ofthe platen B and is pivotally mounted at each end as at 1 to brackets '2that are secured to the end portions 3 of the platen carriage 4. Theframe H is cut out in its central portion so as to leave a substantiallyrectangular opening therein whose .top and bottom edges are formed byintegral tie members 5 and 6 of said frame and whose side edges areformed by a pair of vertically disposed stencil guide members 7 that aresecured to said frame. Each of the stencil guide members 7 consists of aflat portion 7 that is connected to the frame H and an inwardlyprojecting channel-shaped portion 7 that is adapted to receive the sideedges of the stencil blank S shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. Part ofthe channel-shaped portion 7 is cut away a short distance downwardlyfrom the top of the guide 7, as shown clearly in Figs. 1 and 5, so thatthe stencil blank S can be readily inserted into or removed fromoperative position in the guide 7.

In order to hold the stencil tightly against the platen B of thetypewriting machine, a spring-pressed roller 8 is arranged on each ofthe stencil guides 7, said guides being cut away at a point adjacentsaid roller, as shown clearly in Fig. 11, so that said roller bearsdirectly against the frame a of the stencil and said frame bearsdirectly against said platen. By simply rotating the platen in the usualmanner, the stencil S will be fed vertically between the guides 7, andthus space the lines of the printing thereon as desired. The front faceof the channelshapcd portion 7" of each of the guides 7 is preferablybent rearwardly at the extreme lower end thereof, so as to form a flange7 that acts as a positive stop, to limit the downward movement of thestencil S when the same is placed in the machine.

Referring now to Fig. 5, which shows a stencil blank in position to beprinted on, it will be noted that the center printing character (1 ofthe type bar D is in printing position, that is, opposite the center ofthe platen B. If it is desired to print the lowermost character of, thetype bar D must be raised vertically so that said character d will lieopposite the center of the platen, a means for shifting said type barhaving been heretofore described.

If the stencil S were to remain in the vertical position shown in Fig.5, when shifting the type bar D upwardly, the uppermost character 0!would come into contact with the thick frame 8' of the stencil, and thusprevent the character cl from making a per feet impression on the thinprinting portion or sight 8" of said stencil. Therefore, I have devisedmeans whereby whenever the shift key of the machine is actuated tochange the position of the type bar D with respect to the platen B, thestencil and its supporting frame will be rocked so that the thickmarginal frame 8' is moved laterally out of the path of the printingcharacters on the type bar D that are not in use, and thus will notinterfere with the operation of printing on the sight 8 of the stencil.

The means I prefer to use to change the augularity of the stencil S,whenever one of the shift keys is depressed, consists of a bar 9 securedto one side of the frame H, by means of suitable brackets 10, and amember 11 that connects said bar to the type bar-carrying frame C, sothat whenever said frame C is actuated by one of the shift keys F or Gthe member 11 will be actuated. and thus cause the stencil-carryin,frame H to be rocked on its pivots 11.

In the form of my invention herein shown the member 11 consists of ahorizontally disposed bar having an upright extension 12 at the forwardend thereof that is provided with a bifurcated portion 13 that partiallysurrounds and slidingly engages the bar 9, said-member having at itsrear end a projection 14 that extends upwardly and inwardly, and whichis bifurcated on its inner end so as to positively engage a. member 15that is secured to the type bar supporting frame C. In order to preventthe member 11 from becoming displaced a slot 16 formed adjacent the rearend thereof coiiperates with a. pin 17 arranged in the stationary partof the heme A of the machine.

From the foregoing it will be seen that whenever the type-bar-supportingframe C is actuated by the shift key F so as to print the character (1'on the type bar D, said supframe will be moved downwardly and the member15 thereon will be moved rearwardly, carrying with it the sliding member11, which, in turn, moves the bar 9 rearwardly, and thus causes thestencil frame H to rock about its pivots 1-1 and assume the angularposition shown in Fig. 7. When the shift key G is depressed thetypebar-carrying support C is swung upwardly to print the character d",the member 15 at this time moving forwardly and sliding the member 11,which, in turn, moves the bar 9 forwardly, rocking the stencil frame Hinto the position shown in Fig. 6, so that the printing character (1will not contact with the thick portion 8' of the stencil S.

In order to aid the operator of the machine to make stencils in whichthe different lines of printing thereon begin at the same place indifferent stencils, I have arranged a scale 13 on the bar 9 thatcofiperates with the bifurcated portion 13 of the member 11 as apointer, so as to indicate to the operator the different positions ofthe stencil desired when printing different lines.

While I have herein shown the stencilcarrying frame as being actuated bythe movement of the type bar support C, it is obvious that the frame Hcould be directly connected with the shift keys of the machine orcontrolled by a separate key, or said frame could be actuated by anvother part of the machine that is necessarily in motion at the time therelative position of the platen and printing characters is changed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A stencihwriting attachment for typewriting machines comprising apivotally mounted holder for holding the stencil in operative positionadjacent the platen of the machine. and means for automatically rockingsaid holder when certain characters on the type bars are placed inprinting position.

2. A card-writing attachment for typewriting machines comprising ashiftable holder for retaining the card in operative position adjacentthe platen of the machine, and means for automatically changing theangularity of said holder with respect to said platen when it is desiredto print certain characters on said card.

3. A- device of the character described comprising a rigid frame thatlies across the front face of the platen of a shift key typewriter, forretaining said frame in an approximately vertical position when normallyprinting on the typewriter, and means for bodily moving said frame outof its vertical position when printing with the shift key of thetypewriter operative.

4. In a stencil-writing attachment for machines, the combination of atypewriter provided with a shift key, a frame for holding the stencil inoperative position adjacent the platen of the typewriter, andaconnection between said frame and said shift key, whereby whenever saidshift key is actuated, the osition of said frame with respect to saiplaten will be chanfid.

5. a stencil-writing attachment for machines, the combination of atypewriter a movable support for the type bars thereo a frame mounted onsaid machine that holds the stencil in operative position adjacent theplaten, and a. hnk connecting said frame to said movable support.

6. In a stencil-writing attachment for typewriting machines, thecombination of a typewriter ha one set of print' keys that controls a purality of sets of printing characters, shift keys for placing anydesired set of printing characters under the control of saidkeys, ashiftable flame that is adapted to hold the stencil adjacent the platenin position to be printed on by said printing characters, and aconnection between said shift keys and said frame.

7. In a stencil-writing attachment for typewriting machines, thecombination of a shlft key typewriter, a frame mounted thereon that isadapted to normally hold the stencil in an approximately verticalposition adjacent the printing side of the platen, and means wherebywhenever the shift key of said typewriter is actuated said frame isautomatically moved out of its vertical position.

8. In a stencil-writing attachment for typewrit-ing machines, a rigidrockable frame mounted on the machine for holding the stencil adjacentthe platen in position to be printed on, and a key-controlled means forbodily rocking said frame.

9. In a typewriting machine, a card-feeding device arranged on thecarriage thereof and which is adapted to hold a flat card in position tobe printed on, type bars, each of which is provided with a plurality ofprinting characters, means for selecting the character which it isdesired to print, and means controlled by said selecting means wherebysaid feeding device is rocked whenever said selecting means is actuated.

10. In a typewriting machine, a rigid rockable card-feeding devicearranged on the carriage thereof, means for changing the relationshipbetween the platen and the type bars of the machine, and means wherebysaid card-feeding device is rocked bodily whenever said changing meansis actuated.

11. In a typewriting machine, a pair of rigid, spaced, grooved guidesthat are adapt ed to hold a card in a vertically-disposed printingposition adjacent the platen of the machine, and means for rocking saidguides as difl'erent characters on a type bar are placed in printingposition.

12. In a typewriting machine, a platen, type bars, a support for saidtype bars, means for moving said support so as to change the position ofsaid type bars'with respect to said platen, a rockable frame mounted onsaid machine so as to hold a card in printing position adjacent saidplaten, and a member having one end connected to said type bar supportand its opposite end connected to said stencil frame.

13. In a shift-key typewriting machine, a card holder shiftably mountedon the carriage of the machine, and means connecting said card holderwith an element that is moved whenever the shift key of the machine isactuated, so as to change the position of said card-holder with respectto the platen of the machine.

1;. In a typewriting machine, a longitudinally movable carriage providedwith a platen, a stencil holder pivotally mounted on said carriage, alongitudinally extending bar secured to said holder, a rocking type barsupport, and a member having one end connected to said support and itsopposite end in sliding engagement with said longitudinally extendingbar.

15. In a typewriting machine, a frame, a longitudinally movable carriagerovided with a platen and which is mounte on said frame, a stencilholder pivotally mounted on said carriage, alongitudinally extending barsecured to said holder, a rocking type bar support, and a memberslidably mounted on said frame, and having one end connected to saidsupport and its op osite end in engagement with said longitu inallyextendin bar.

16. a typewriting machine, a longitudinally movable carriage providedwith a platen, a stencil holder pivotally mounted on said carriage, alongitudinally extending bar having graduations thereon and se cured tosaid holder, a rocking type bar support. and a member having one endconnected to said support and its opposite end in sliding engagementwith said longitudinally extending bar.

17. In a shift key typewriter, a cardcarrying fra-me pivotally mountedon brackets that are secured to the end portions of the platen carriageof the machine, a longitudinally extending bar secured to said frame, amember slldingly mounted on a stationary part of the machine and havinga bifurcated end that partially surrounds said bar, and means on theopposite end of said member for connection with a member that is movedwhenever the shift key of the typewriter is actuated.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature in the presence oftwo witnesses, this fourteenth day of August 1914.

F RANK W. BUFFUM.

Witnesses:

Gnoncn R. LADSON, Gnoncs Baxnwmm.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe commissioner of Patents.

.It is hereby (ortifiod that 1 Letters Patent No. 1,141,525, grantedJune 1, 1915,

upon the application of Frank W. Bufl'um, of Louisiana, iilissouri, foran improve ment in Steml-VVribing Atlnvhmcnts for Type-WritingMzu-hinns, an error appear-s in the pi hind specifimtiun ri'quiringcorrection as follows: Page 1, line 34, for 111' word inion readplrrlru; and that. the Said Letters Patent shouid 119 read withLhiscorreution therein that the same may conform to the record of thecase in the Patent Ofiice.

Signed and sealed this 15th day of June, A. D., 1915.

J. T. NrlVi/TON,

Actimg Commissioner of Patents.

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